Private sector employment increased by 184,000 jobs in March and annual pay was up 5.1% year-over-year, ADP reported.
Wood Markets News
West Fraser Permanently Closes Its Sawmill in Perry, FL
On Monday, West Fraser confirmed that it was permanently ceasing production at its Perry, Florida, sawmill, ABC27/WTXL reported.
Nonresidential Construction Spending Declines in February
US nonresidential construction spending declined for the second consecutive month in February, falling 0.1%, the Associated Builders and Contractors reported.
Alberta Wildfire Season Off to a Quick and Unwelcome Start
Alberta’s forestry minister declared an early start to the wildfire season, The Weather Network reports.
Construction Sector Employment Trends Higher in February
The construction labor market experienced a modest increase in job openings in February, the BLS and NAHB reported.
New Construction Images Shared of World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai’s Massive Timber Structure
Sou Fujimoto Architects has shared new images of the forthcoming World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai’s circular wooden container structure, according to a profile by Archinect.
US Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary for February
As of the last business day in February, the number of job openings changed little at 8.8 million. The job opening rate was unchanged for the third consecutive month at 5.3%.
US Construction Spending Declines Month-Over-Month but Rises Year-Over-Year in February
Construction spending during February was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,091.5 billion, 0.3% below the revised January estimate.
US First-Time Homebuyers in February Needed to Earn 8.2% More Than a Year Ago to Afford a Starter Home
US homebuyers needed to earn $75,849 annually to afford the typical starter home, up 8.2%, or $5,767, from February 2023.
Brazilian Exports of Wood-Based Products Increase Year-Over-Year in February
Brazilian exports of wood-based products (except pulp and paper) increased 16.0% year-over-year in value in February, the ITTO reported.